The sound of funeral trumpets echoed through the rain as mourners gathered under an old corrugated iron roof to say goodbye to Elena, a kind and gentle 25-year-old woman who had died from complications during childbirth. Her gold-painted coffin rested on two wooden chairs in the yard, surrounded by grieving family members and neighbors who remembered her as a devoted daughter-in-law. Mrs. Helen, Elena’s mother-in-law, once proudly called her a blessing to the family.

Tragedy struck unexpectedly when Elena suffered severe stomach pains late one night. By the time she reached the hospital, it was too late. Her baby was never heard crying, and Elena never regained consciousness. The loss devastated the family—Mrs. Helen fainted from grief, and her husband Louis sat silently, staring at Elena’s smiling portrait resting atop the coffin.

When it came time to move the coffin, eight young men struggled to lift it—it wouldn’t budge. A neighbor whispered that Elena might still have unfinished business. A nearby shaman suggested opening the coffin. When they did, they were stunned to see fresh tear streaks on Elena’s cheeks. Mrs. Helen wept and begged Elena to share what remained unsaid.

Louis, overwhelmed with guilt, broke down and confessed. He admitted to being unfaithful and revealed that Elena had discovered the affair shortly before her collapse. Though he promised to end it, the betrayal deeply hurt her, and she fell ill that very night. His sobs filled the yard as he begged her forgiveness.

After his confession, the coffin finally lifted easily, as if Elena had found peace. Yet Louis knew the sorrow he caused would never fade. In his heart, Elena’s tear-stained face would remain—a lasting reminder that some wounds cannot be undone, no matter how sincere the apology.